Apple, Predix team up for industrial gear control and monitoring, GE will standardize on i...

Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2017
Apple and GE have announced a partnership to deliver industrial apps designed to bring data and analytics from GE's Predix's automation platform to the iPhone and iPad -- and GE will now use iOS devices across its employee workforce.




Announcing the partnership, Apple noted that the new SDK will give industrial customers "insight and visibility" into equipment performance, and allow for remote control and monitoring of the gear from an iPhone, on-site, or remotely.

"GE is an ideal partner with a rich history of innovation across the industrial world in areas like aviation, manufacturing, healthcare and energy," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Together, Apple and GE are fundamentally changing how the industrial world works by combining GE's Predix platform with the power and simplicity of iPhone and iPad."

Predix is GE's software platform for the collection and analysis of data from industrial equipment, like wind turbines, robotic assembly equipment, and other similar gear. GE plans to expand the "internet of things" for industry with cloud servers and and an app store -- and Apple's iOS now gives the company a common software control platform to simplify the latter.

As a result of the partnership, GE will standardize on iPhone and iPad for mobile devices and also promote Mac as a choice for its global workforce of more than 330,000 employees. Apple will promote GE's Predix as the industrial IoT analytics platform of choice to its customers and developers.

The new Predix SDK for iOS will be available to download on October 26.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Did hell freeze over last night?    What is next Allen Bradley supporting RSLogix on the Mac?  

    On a serious note this is very good news.  The industrial world is stuck on MS Windows for the most part (99,9%), so any cracks that Apple can open up is a good thing.  
    SpamSandwichdewmelkruppdoozydozenJWSCwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 2 of 32
    Boring stuff, definitely, but at least another big business customer and revenue stream for Apple... 
    calidoozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 32
    Chalk up another win for Apple. 
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 32
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,273member
    IBM, SAP, Oracle and now GE. This is another notch towards the strategic goal of owning the enterprise market.
    While others are worried about market share blips, Apple is making decisions that will allow for long-term success.
    lkruppSpamSandwichStrangeDayscalidoozydozenJWSCwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 32
    Yup this is huge. Most of the existing monitoring is done by aging Windows machines ripe for replacement. 
    calidoozydozenwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 6 of 32
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    First IBM, now GE and the NYPD. So let’s review the talking points. Android is open, more configurable, and therefore superior to iOS for the enterprise. Android hardware is more powerful and cheaper than the iPhone, and therefore more cost efficient for the enterprise. Have I got that right, Mr. Google? Looks like these giant corporations are making a big mistake, right?
    StrangeDaysradarthekatcaliGG1doozydozenJWSCwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 7 of 32
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,239member
    Boring stuff, definitely, but at least another big business customer and revenue stream for Apple... 
    How is this boring? GE is looking at possibly 1/2B iOS devices with advanced equipment monitoring of a wide range of devices, https://www.ge.com/reports/ready-for-prime-time-ge-opens-predix-its-digital-platform-for-the-industrial-internet-to-everyone/. GE also open-sourced the Predix platform. 

    If what this cloud-based software can do bores you, then you need to get out an see what it happening in the rest of the world. This is a huge announcement, especially since GE announced they'd be using and pushing iOS devices. As @wizard69 comments, it's about time companies are taking Apple products and connectivity seriously instead of simple using Microsoft garbage. 
    StrangeDaysradarthekatdoozydozenJWSCwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 32
    rob53 said:
    Boring stuff, definitely, but at least another big business customer and revenue stream for Apple... 
    How is this boring? GE is looking at possibly 1/2B iOS devices with advanced equipment monitoring of a wide range of devices, https://www.ge.com/reports/ready-for-prime-time-ge-opens-predix-its-digital-platform-for-the-industrial-internet-to-everyone/. GE also open-sourced the Predix platform. 

    If what this cloud-based software can do bores you, then you need to get out an see what it happening in the rest of the world. This is a huge announcement, especially since GE announced they'd be using and pushing iOS devices. As @wizard69 comments, it's about time companies are taking Apple products and connectivity seriously instead of simple using Microsoft garbage. 
    I own GE stock, as well as AAPL, so it’s positive news as far as I’m concerned, but it is very dull compared to the usual razzle-dazzle of Apple’s consumer facing business.
    calidoozydozen
  • Reply 9 of 32
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    wizard69 said:
    Did hell freeze over last night?    What is next Allen Bradley supporting RSLogix on the Mac?  

    On a serious note this is very good news.  The industrial world is stuck on MS Windows for the most part (99,9%), so any cracks that Apple can open up is a good thing.  
    I agree, this is a big deal. These companies recognising Apple products as worth supporting in industrial applications is like, well, hell freezing over. Hopefully indeed a crack opening up.
    calidoozydozenJWSCSpamSandwichwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 32
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member

    wizard69 said:
    Did hell freeze over last night?    What is next Allen Bradley supporting RSLogix on the Mac?  

    On a serious note this is very good news.  The industrial world is stuck on MS Windows for the most part (99,9%), so any cracks that Apple can open up is a good thing.  
    Actually, it's late in the evening here. I'll sleep on this and check in the morning that I wasn't dreaming. (I dreamt about Ethereum last night, GE tonight perhaps, oh dear!)
    cali
  • Reply 11 of 32
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,821member
    Boring stuff, definitely, but at least another big business customer and revenue stream for Apple... 
    Predix isn’t boring. It’s a very modern way of performing equipment surveillance and is an interesting project.
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 12 of 32
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    When people diss Cook, they don’t get that he is moving Apple into areas that SJ wasn’t interested in. I remember that when he came back, after Apple had been kicked out of most large organizations, in a news conference, when asked whether Apple would make a push to get back in, he waved his hand and said that “The enterprise isn’t our customer”.

    that set Apple’s chances back for years. But it’s said that Cook persuaded him to change his mind a few years later.
    edited October 2017 iqatedoFolioradarthekatGG1JWSCSpamSandwichwatto_cobrajony0cali
  • Reply 13 of 32
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,312member
    wizard69 said:
    Did hell freeze over last night?    What is next Allen Bradley supporting RSLogix on the Mac?  

    On a serious note this is very good news.  The industrial world is stuck on MS Windows for the most part (99,9%), so any cracks that Apple can open up is a good thing.  
    Not even a slight frost. It's highly unlikely that you'll ever see any of the current generation, much less legacy, PLC/PAC, drives, HMI, etc, software tools that are heavily tied to the Windows platform from A-B, Schneider, Siemens, ABB, and even GE ported over to the Apple ecosystem. However, when it comes to IIoT, Industry 4.0, analytics, and associated edge devices and tools the choice of software, cloud, and tooling platforms is already much more open and unencumbered from Windows. Microsoft will still be a player in enterprise with things like Azure and in devices with Windows IoT Core even as it loses its grip on workstation level tools.

    The real battles in the industrial automation space are typically fought at the standardization and workgroup level, whether actual IEC/ISO types of standards typically pushed by user organizations and smaller vendors or defacto standards typically pushed by larger vendors and consortiums, like GE/Predix/Apple as described in this article. These battles tend to be long and drawn out affairs that require a lot of patience and extended commitments. While the industrial automation vendors have the patience and intestinal fortitude to fight these protracted battles, onesthat often result in technology choices that are middle-aged or worse by the time they achieve mainstream adoption, companies like Apple and Microsoft often lose interest in these efforts as the battles wage on for years.

    The ROI timeframe expectations for companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are much different than they are for A-B/RA, Siemens, ABB, Schneider, Omron, etc. Microsoft in particular always seems to jump into new industry initiatives with both feet and with high levels of visible commitment and support. MSFT wants to be seen as a leading partner for as long as it has an ROI that fits their needs. When the timelines start to stretch out or when they realize that they can't coerce their defacto standards through the real standards bodies, they often seem to lose interest and back off, or go looking for other more exciting partners to dance with. I don't know how Apple will react under similar circumstances. To be fair though, the industrial vendors and the standards bodies need to up their games as well. Things like industrial cybersecurity have to be moved along quickly and cannot afford to languish forever in committees and working groups.  
    jony0
  • Reply 14 of 32
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    melgross said:
    When people diss Cook, they don’t get that he is moving Apple into areas that SJ wasn’t interested in. I remember that when he came back, after Apple had been kicked out of most large organizations, in a news conference, when asked whether Apple would make a push to get back in, he waved his hand and said that “The enterprise isn’t our customer”.

    that set Apple’s chances back for years. But it’s said that Cook persuaded him to change his mind a few years later.
    Could this development be driven on GE's part at least a little by the massive outages that hackers have recently imposed on systems world-wide? Tim cook was a find I believe.
    caliwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 15 of 32
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 403member
    I think industrial division is going to build and deploy some awesome AR apps as they move down this road.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 32
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member

    Huge in itself, considering GE even after trimming itself still globally diverse in turbines, healthcare, energy, etc. Much of its revenue is recurring services on its products.

    My hunch is AR potential played a part. For servicing, it’s the manual of our time. If right, Apple’s AR platform might bring in other industrials and become de facto standard. Think Boeing, Deere, Caterpillar, Honeywell, 3M…


    EDIT: Yes, agree with you Jdgaz!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 32
    brucemcbrucemc Posts: 1,541member
    Just a quick personal note regarding Macs in a dominant PC/Windows corporate environment.  I'm in a large telecommunications equipment company, and only Windows are officially supported by IT.  If you want a Mac, you bring your own, and you are on your own as far as IT support goes.  I have been doing this for almost 7 years (as have hundreds / maybe a few thousands of others...out of ~100K total employees).   

    A few key observations:
    - In 7 years, I am still using the same MBP.  Everyone else has gone through a PC upgrade once or twice (every 3-4 years).
    - The corp IT/application environment has improved to the point where all applications required either are supported on Mac or web based.  No Windows necessary (for me).
    - I have managed to support myself with the help of internal user groups and web knowledge, together with a h/w fix by a local firm (once - covered by Apple on recall).
    - I estimate the amount of time I have spent on support myself is less time than my peers in their interactions with IT on their PC/Windows issues
    - In the never ending drive to lower costs, our IT service continues to decrease where much of the PC/Windows support is "support yourself" and only critical issues, h/w failures, or things like getting new s/w, are handled by IT.  In such a world, I can tell you my peers are jealous of the Mac
    - Simple things like using my AirPods with my Mac instead of needing to get a 3rd party BT headset (which I am sure cost close to what the AirPods cost me).

    This is just my view, but my anecdotal evidence supports those "studies" (like IBM did) to say that despite the higher initial prices, a Mac has a significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

    In fact, a forward thinking company would offer something like $500 every 4 years towards an employee to purchase their own Mac and have that supported within the company IT environment.  Would lower company TCO even more, and would increase employee satisfaction immensely for those who prefer Macs.  But the head of IT would lose his marbles....
    StrangeDaysJWSCwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 18 of 32
    Send them this:

    https://www.computerworld.com/article/3131906/apple-mac/ibm-says-macs-are-even-cheaper-to-run-than-it-thought.html

    "IBM today told the record-setting seventh Jamf Nation User Conference that it is saving even more money by deploying Macs across the company than it thought: each Mac deployment saves the company up to $535 over four years, in contrast to the $270 per Mac it claimed last year.

    That’s a hugely significant statistic for any Mac user and follows extensive use of the platform by IBM. IBM VP of Workplace as a Service, Fletcher Previn, told the conference that 90,000 employees are now using Macs, up from 30,000 in 2015. 100,000 of IBM’s global workforce will be using Macs by the end of the year, he said, and the number is climbing.

    There are lots of reasons for this, not least that better OS software means Apple needs to update its systems far less often than Microsoft updates Windows. "We have to go out and manage the Mac environment 104 fewer times a year than PC,” Previn said."


    caliwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 19 of 32
    GE was undoubtedly also inspired by the tremendous cost savings that IBM documented,  $535 per device over a four year

    period.https://www.computerworld.com/article/3131906/apple-mac/ibm-says-macs-are-even-cheaper-to-run-than-it-thought.html



    caliwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 32
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    iqatedo said:
    melgross said:
    When people diss Cook, they don’t get that he is moving Apple into areas that SJ wasn’t interested in. I remember that when he came back, after Apple had been kicked out of most large organizations, in a news conference, when asked whether Apple would make a push to get back in, he waved his hand and said that “The enterprise isn’t our customer”.

    that set Apple’s chances back for years. But it’s said that Cook persuaded him to change his mind a few years later.
    Could this development be driven on GE's part at least a little by the massive outages that hackers have recently imposed on systems world-wide? Tim cook was a find I believe.
    Of course, GE and others are finding mobile platforms more interesting as time goes on. As those platforms become more advanced and reliable both in hardware and software, it’s only natural that companies will trend over from laptops to tablets and phones. We’ve been seeing other large companies doing this for years now, replacing tens of thousands of laptops in their organizations with iPads. But most of that has been with sales forces and analytical work in financial areas.

    one reason why this is happening is because iOS is much easier to manage than Windows. It’s also pretty free from malware, due to its design, and with Apple allowing organizations to set up private stores within the App Store, proprietary software can be written and distributed without being seen publically. Interestingly enough, the lack of a fully compliant usb input is another reason. Much of stolen info is now gathered with an innocuous usb stick. That’s can’t be done with an iOS device.

    this is a different move into hardware analysis, though that includes the software too, of course, because these days almost all industrial hardware is controlled through software.

    GE has been using Macs and iOS for some years now in more limited areas. I imagine that with IBM and other large VARs such as UNISYS, which started selling and integrating Apple products years before IBM did, Apple doesn’t seem so foreign to these large organizations as it did earlier, after Michael Spindler almost destroyed Apple in 1995. Before that time, Apple was very popular among tech companies such as Boeing and the once major powerhouse, Motorola.
    edited October 2017 watto_cobraiqatedojony0
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